Baffle wall construction, particularly for rotary hearth furnaces



INVENTOR ROBERT E. BUCKHOLDT I ATTORNEY R. E. BUCKH OLDT BAFFLE WALL CONSTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY Filed Dec. 13, 1951 FOR ROTARY HEARTH FURNACES Nov. 6, 1956,

. others. 1 even expansion or construction, as is likely to occur in United States PatentfO BAFFLE WALL CONSTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY FOR ROTARY HEARTH FURNACES Robert E. Bnckholdt, Salem, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Salem-Brosius, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 13, 1951, Serial No. 261,410 6 Claims. (Cl. 263-46) The present invention relates generally to industrial heat treating furnaces and more particularly to novel arrangements for constructing refractory bafiie walls there- In certain types of furnaces, particularly rotary hearth types, the bafile walls used therein must be supported wholly from the side walls and/or roof of the furnace rather than from the hearth. The depending bafiie structure is, of course, weaker than one having a stable base and heretofore particularly where very high temperatures are required, the frangible refractory material becomes cracked and broken through expansion and contraction, causing collapse or substantial weakening of the wall structure. It is accordingly the primary object of this invention to provide a novel refractory baffle Wall construction whereby strong depending structures are rendered possible which are substantially unaffected by high temperatures and by the expansion and contraction resulting therefrom.

More particularly it is an object of this invention to provide a practical refractory bafiie wall construction wherein the frangible refractory material used therein is supported wholly at its base by means of non-frangible and non-refractory means depending from the room of the furnace or heating chamber. The arrangement thus provides for supporting the weak and easily breakable refractory material in the manner which has been found to be most structurally sound.

Arrangements as above set forth for constructing refractory walls have, of course, been heretofore proposed, but have been impractical for use at high temperatures since the non-frangible, non-refractory meansusually steel-often weakens and softens, causing the entire wall to collapse. It is therefore another object of this invention to provide a novel means for supporting a refractory wall by means of non-refractory material wherein provisions are included for maintaining the temperature of the non-refractory material at a relatively low value whereby the advantageous structural properties of the non-refractory material are retained substantially regardless: of the temperature of the refractory material.

In conjunction with the above objects it is a further object of this invention to provide a novel refractory wall construction of the type described wherein the nonrefractory supporting means therefor is isolated insofar as practical from the direct heat of the furnace or heating chamber whereby the cooling load for maintaining the non-refractory material at a low temperature is substantially reduced.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a bafile wall construction as above described wherein a complete wall structure is comprised of a plurality of spaced laterally adjacent sections, each supported wholly independently of the others whereby each of said sections is free to expand or contract independently of the This arrangement is advantageous in that un- 2,769,629 flatented 6, 1 9 56 "ice 7 heating or cooling the furnace to a desired operating temperature, may be absorbed independently in each section whereby, for example, high expansion in the centerm'ost sections of a wall expanse will not create undue stresses in outer sections which have not yet attained operating temperature.

Another object of this invention includes the provision for constructing a'baflie wall as above described of a refractory block of novel design wherein are incorporated certain features for interlocking horizontally adjacent blocks to prevent direct radiation of heat therebetween while still providing ample clearance between the blocks to absorb the expansion thereof, and certain other features for interconnecting vertically adjacent blocks of each section in such manner that the blocks will tend to remain in their assembled positions even though they have become cracked and broken through use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon full consideration of the following detailed specification and accompanying drawing wherein is disclosed a certain preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a conventional rotary hearth heat treating furnace wherein is utilized a baffle wall constructed according to the principles taught by my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section view taken along line 11-11 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section view of the apparatus of Figure 1 taken, for example, along line IIIIII of Figure 2;

' Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view, partly in section, of the component refractory blocks utilized as taught bymy invention in constructing a baflle wall as shown in Figures 1 and 2; and a Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a second embodiment of my invention showing an optional arrangement for maintaining the non-refractory supporting members at a low temperature. Referring to the drawing and particularly to Figures walls 10 and 11 as shownin Figure 2, and an annular hearth 12 having suitable means of support, not shown, and motivating means, also not shown, is positioned between the walls 10 and 11 at the base thereof. In accordance with usual practice a plurality of circumferentially spaced baflle walls, as at 14, are provided about the annular extent of the furnace to divide the same into a like plurality of heating zones or chambers. Objects to be heated, not shown, are placed on the movable hearth 12 and carried about the furnace, usually in the direction of progressively hotter heating zones, by the movement of the hearth 12. In order that the objects to be heated may freely pass from zone to zone a vertical clearance must be provided between the hearth 12 and bafiie wall-14 as shown in Figure 2.

A baflie wall 14 constructed in the manner taught by my invention comprises a plurality of vertically disposed wall sections 15. 'Itis contemplated that the width of such sections 15 willbe standard for substantially all applications therefor whereby baflie walls of various widths may be constructed by installing an appropriate 3 and 4. In horizontal cross section the blocks 16 are r '1 re transfixed on th oi rectan giilaiand have formed therein '65 two opposite'sids, vertically disposed complementary tongue and groove portions 17 and 18 respectively. A

16 subsjtantially rcen'trally therein-for the purpose of;receiving non-refractory supporting means to be hereinafter described. On:the generally flat upper and lower surfaces of :the blocks 16 are formed complementary annular tongue and groove portions 20 and 21 respective-r it n we surf ce tLthieb k 1.6. T ess .22 is adapted 'to receive a flanged end cap member 23 of steel or othereuitable non;refiractory material; which end cap 23 is weldedpr otherwise secured to the lower end extr i y otar pe e b r, als of v le h c y tsI a -;-.iA. .be obse ve i omtF g 3 d the -yertieally disposed bore 19 is also provided in the blocks pipe member 24; is adapted to be freely received in the V bpres 9 Q tthe re ract ry block pr b y 7 h enough clearance to provide for the difierential expan- 7 sion betweenothe non-refractory pipe member 24 and the blocks 16 as will be understood.

e 1 To. ass mble t W sss a, .15 mi u a r ty. .s ock 7, v -e P pe memb th lowermost block 16' resting on the end cap 23 and other verticall su sri qse blocks .lfiu ashr p t n t v i q i mediately below. The sections 15 may beassembled to 1, any desired height .by merely spperimposing anappropri be f b q ks L6, w llhe u de To assemble a plurality t wall'sections 15 to form a independent sections 15. placed in side-by-siderelationas shown in Fi'gure 2, For

a lt pq t t e ssst qns 15 rp sts a P i p sed p 9 l-bs nr Qt. h elm mbers1 .3 11 ,6-Vw are msi m edv th rqq 13 s stantia n rt l l -1 t With'ths ps ies e n a in F r Ac-i s w n t lhe Prin es o 1 in nti 'herp pe m 4 extend. s bs an ia y my; he up s mq t bl suitable material which is positioned loo sely overthe clearance opening between th'e root 13 and-wall 1'4 over the clearance opening the uppermost horizontally adjacent blocks 16.

It is of course contemplated that various of the blocks.

16 may become cracked or broken through prolonged usage or other' causes and to provide for this eventuality interlocking n l Tongue aud 'groove portions 20 21 are formed in the upper and lower surfaces respectively of, each block 16 whereby infa section 15 of superim;

" posed blocks 16 eachof the blocks .v'vill'be securelyinten, connected to blocks immediately above and below. The

arrangement" thus described provides that in'the event a certain block becomes cracked it will not sneplytanawa from the pipe member 2'4;leavin'g a void in the baffle wall, but rather will be retained in position by the interconnected blocks immediately above and below. It will V be understood, of course, that expansion clearancerl'eed V not'be provided between'vertically superimposed blocks since the same are free to slide vertically-along the pipe p member 24. Thus the tong'ue and groove portionsdtl and 21 may be closely interfitted and accordingly well adapted to perform'the function desired. p 7

As hereinbefore explained it is of utmost importance in a structure of this type to maintain the non-refractory supporting memberpipe member 24 in the instant illustration-at a relatively low temperature in order to prevent the softening thereof and loss of its advantageous structural properties through softening; must be provided torsince the surface tcmperature of the blocks often reaches 250 0 F, and; higher and has heretofore been one of th' principal reasons fortheimpractieability .of usingnonefractorysupport ng means in baffle walls 35. r' n gxpanse as shqwn 3214 I: prgvide La ztl-ans'vfirsely 7 second pipe member 33' of substantially smaller diameter fd ps s t te w se 22 in the 1 9i hereb t t. ay be inserted from above and 'jlliilq avail, Essfios q-ths Pawer iy. p r d p t sn t he s d 11 11 9121 tr ns e s l d s s ta Y s b eths s f ns a st Vi e v exp nse 11 t nd vi ua se'ss mbled c ons are rse el l w thr the O enin y i thet a v yi p ba 0 r s n' e c ne msmhsrsi "a d .6-

The

li f 30 a secured IQ es b t nsfl nn -me froin a high temp erature z one' or chamberto' an adjacent lower temperature .zone I have gprovided comple :m' n y on u e' d 'r v pq iim 7' sail whi whe a 'r s d shown ialli tselrss st tqi bs u t e s s r ebes 's i as e ren s tso rse' provided betwe'en vthe tongue 17 and grooves 18 of adjae r f'cent' blocligltheir' function" beingmerely to providea o discontinuity in the passage '31 to blockyofi radiation rays which ne cess arily travelzin straight ;lines. o o

,rs t a e, shsultl als e p yii ediat there ope Ha lto P ev the ssensr h tf n e gases theretlirough I provide a conventional seal '32 of any 31 i a b is sd he i se i ta l ,sss s T o s ne. n the o fs i n as ta t Ycm 'inYw-V ti on this problem is easily overcome by providing a than the'supporting pipe member 24, which is inserted lwitbin the last .mentioned member 24 in "concentricity vertically above the endpap 23 and is longitudinallydimensioned top'rotrude slightly above the upper end ot fthelarg'erfpipe 24. A plurality of spacer members 34am preferably provided tofrnaintain the pipes 24 and 3 3 in concentiicity and the 's aidspacers '34 or other suitable means may be used to secure the pipesiin thesp lioper longitudinal relationship as shown in Figurer4 'In the embodimentsherein shownfth'e pipe 33 is openat both 7 Y 7 'its upper and lower. ends while the pipe 24 is closed 'at i't s q srendyby 5 d. a b fien at tsu' rz r en the smaller, pipe and tocl ose en ne 'annular'opening' I there'around'. Connecting thelargerpipe member24'near v i "the upper end portionthereof is afshort conduit '36 which 1 "is 'in turn connected through faflexiblecoupling '37ftjoja header conduit 38. The last ment idned'conduit '38 -is 7' j v connected by'a n y suitable ma ii'sjto a sourceiofairfuiider t pressure, "not'shown, whereby air may'becaus'ed toflow into the pipefmembe'r 24 through conduit 36; thence "downwardly through the annular space between pipe members24 and 33, and finally upwardly through pipe;

member 33'to be discharged into 'the atmos'phere. -As

. will be understood, theair flowing downwardly along the inner surface of pipe member 24 will absorb land remove heat therefrornand by appropriatelylregulating'the yel umeofair'flowthe pipe member 24 may be maintained by an 3anriular end cap '35 which is adapted; to fiover r at a desired;operating temperaturesubstantially refga'rdless ofthe temperature withinthelieatingionesfo'rcham bers', defined by the 'baflle wall 14.: If desiredjhe'heatd 1 air discharged atftheupper'end of 'pipe' member 33i-"m'ay be collected 'in a suitable header, not shown, for use in V supporting combustion within the furnace. 'J r In Figure 5 1 have shown a second 'embodiment'o fthe r inventionwher'ein provisions are made. for. :causing the proper convectionflow through 'pipemem bers o-M'and 33 j without direct contact or connection between'the hot;

pipe'members and the source of air supply. In this em bodiment the supporting pipe member 24' is open to the atmosphere at its upper end While the pipe member 33' communicates at its upper end with a low pressure point of a venturi 39. A conduit 40 having a jet nozzle 41 at its open end is suitably connected to the source of air under pressure, not shown, and to obtain the proper circulation through the pipe members 24 and 33 air may be forced through the venturi 39 to create a low pressure therein whereby atmospheric air is forced downwardly through pipe member 24 and upwardly through pipe member 33 in the manner desired. This embodiment is advantageous in the respect that no direct path is provided through which heat may be conducted from the hot pipe members 24 and 33 to the source of air supply, while the first described embodiment provides more efiicient circulation of air. The various considerations of each installation would thus determine the embodiment most applicable for use therein.

It should now be apparent that I have accomplished the objects initially set forth. The baffle construction disclosed and described herein provides simple, inexpensive and wholly practical means for supporting a depending refractory Wall by means of non-frangible and non-refractory material whereby the refractory wall is supported at its base in a manner most sound from a structural standpoint. Overheating and softening of the non-refractory supporting means, heretofore the cause for much concern in structures of this type, is avoided through the novel arrangement of pipe members 24 and 33, the larger of Winch, pipe member 24, is in direct contact with and acts as a support for the refractory blocks 16. By forcing air through the annular space be tween the two said pipe members 24 and 33 the supporting pipe member 24 may be maintained at a safe operatmg temperature, and by merely increasing or decreasing such flow of air changes in furnace temperature may be easily compensated for.

An additional feature of the bafiie construction disclosed herein which lends materially to its practicability resides in the combination of a vertically disposed pipe member 24 with refractory blocks 16 transfixed thereon. The pipe member 24 is thus shielded from the direct heat of the furnace over its entire length and the cooling load required to maintain the said pize member 24 at a practical operating temperature is kept at a minimum. By my arrangement the only non-refractory material which is exposed to the direct heat of the furnace is the small end cap member 23 which may readily and inexpensively be made of suitable alloy steel having good structural properties at lfigh temperatures. Obviously, if desired, the cap members 23 may be covered by refractory blocks or discs, not shown, which are received and suitably retained in the recesses in which the cap members 23 are housed.

In the construction disclosed, wherein the refractory blocks 16 are apertured to receive the pipe member 24, I have included provisions for keeping the blocks 16 in place in the event that they become cracked or broken. The above mentioned provisions include the interlocking annular tongue and groove portions 21} and 21 formed on the upper and lower surfaces respectively of the blocks 16 whereby each block, with the exception of the extreme upper and lower blocks, will be held in place by blocks immediately above and below. Thus, even though various blocks become cracked after a time the'same will be held in place by the other intact blocks until such time as they may be replaced at regular maintenance periods.

Construction of an entire bafile wall expanse is extremely simple by the teachings disclosed herein since each of the vertical sections 15 is wholly independent of the others and may be assembled and disassembled without aifecting any of the others. Provisions for horizontal expansion and contraction of the refractory blocks may be made by merely allowing a space of, for example, an eighth of an inch between adjacent sections, and

it will be understood that by isolating the expansion and contraction movements of each of the various sections wholly within the sections themselves high stresses on the frangible refractory blocks are virtually eliminated. Direct radiation of heat through the space between adjacent sections may be prevented by the expedient of providing complementary tongue and groove portions, as at 17 and 18, whereby the clearance space does not provide a straight line path for the passage of radiation rays.

It will, of course, be understood that the embodiments of my invention herein disclosed and specifically described are intended to be illustrative only and reference should therefore be had to the appended claims in determining the true scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A baffie wall structure. for heating furnaces and the like comprising a plurality of vertical wall sections disposed in side-by-side relation to form a wall expanse; each of said vertical wall sections comprising in combination a first vertically disposed pipe member secured at its upper portion and depending downwardly into a heating chamber, an end cap member secured to and closing off the lower end of said-first pipe member, said end cap member extending radially outward from said first pipe member, a plurality of generally single rectangular refractory blocks having centrally located vertically disposed apertures therein transfixed in superimposed relation on said first pipe member, the. lowermost of said refractory blocks being supported by the radially extending portion of said end cap member, said radially extending portion being generally narrower than said blocks, said refractory blocks having interlocking annular tongue and groove portions in their top and bottom surfaces disposed substantially circumferentially about said first pipe mem er, the arrangement being such that the tongue portions of certain of said blocks interlock with the groove portions of vertically adjacent blocks, a second pipe member of lesser outside diameter than the inside diameter of said first Y pipe member positioned within said first pipe member substantially in concentricity therewith, the lower end extremity of said second pipe member being positioned a predetermined distance above said end cap member, cap means positioned around said second pipe member and secured to the upper end portions of said first and second pipe members to close off the annular opening therebetween, and conduit'means communicating with said first pipe member near the upper portion thereof and adapted to be connected to a source of air under pressure whereby air-may be caused to flow downwardly through the annular space between said first and second pipe members and upwardly through said second pipe member.

2. A bafile wall structure for heat treating furnaces and the like comprising a plurality of vertical wall sections disposed in side-by-side relation to forma Wall expanse; each of said vertical wall sections comprising in combination a first vertically disposed pipe member secured at its upper portion and depending downwardly into a heating chamber, means to close off the lower end opening of said first pipe member, a plurality of generally single rectangular refractory blocks having centrally located vertically disposed apertures therein transfixed in superimposed relation on said first pipe member, means secured to the lower end portion of said first pipe member and extending radially outward thereof for supporting the lowermost of said blocks, said last-mentioned means being generally narrower than said blocks, said refractory blocks having interlocking annular tongue and groove portions in their top and bottom surfaces disposed about said first pipe member, the arrangement being such that the tongue portions of certain of said blocks interlock with the groove portions of vertically adjacent blocks, a second pipe member of lesser outside diameter than the inside diameter of said first pipe member positioned within said first pipe member substantially in concentricity therewith, the lower end extremity of said second pipe member being in communica'tion with the annular space between said first and second pipe members near the lower end portion of said first pipe member, means closing oil said annular'space near the upper end extremity of said first pipe member, and conduit means communicating with said first pipe member near the upper portion thereof and adapted to be connected to a source of air under pressure whereby air may be caused to flow downwardly through the annular space between said first and second pipe members and upwardly through said second pipe member.

3. A baflle wall structure for heat treating furnaces and the like comprising a plurality of vertical wall sections disposed in side-by-side relation to form a wall expanse; each of said vertical wall sections comprising in combination a first vertically disposed pipe member secured at its upper portion and depending downwardly into a heating chamber, means to close off the lower end opening of said first pipe member, a plurality of generally individual rectangular refractory blocks having centrally located vertically disposed apertures therein transfixed in superimposed relation on said first pipe member, means secured to the lower end portion of said first pipe member and extending radially outward thereof for supporting the lowermost of said blocks, said last-mentioned means being generally narrower than said blocks, interlocking means on the upper and lower surfaces of said blocks whereby said relative horizontal displacement between vertically adjacent blocks is restrained, a second pipe member of lesser outside diameter than the inside diameter of said first pipe member positioned within said first pipe member substantially in concentricity therewith, the lower end of said pipe member being in communicationwith the'annular space between said first and second pipe members, means for creating a pressure difierential between the upper end opening of said second pipe member and the upper'portion of Said annular space whereby air is caused'to flow downwardly through said space and upwardly through said second pipe member.

4. A bafile Wall structure for heat treating furnaces and thelike comprising a plurality of vertical wall sections disposed in side-by-side relation to form a wall expause; each of said vertical wall sections comprising in combination'a vertically disposed non-refractory tubular member secured at its upper portion and depending downwardly in a heating chamber, said member being closed off at its lower end, a plurality of substantially individual refractory blocks'having centrally located vertically disposed apertures therein transfixed in superimposed relation on said tubular member, means secured substantially solely to said tubular member for supporting the lowermost of said blocks, said last-mentioned means being generally narrower than said blocks, conduit means inserted within said tubular member substantially to the lower end thereof, said conduit means being substantially smaller than said tubular memberwhereby a clearance space'is provided therebetween, and means to create a pressure differential between said conduit means and the upper end portion of said tubular means whereby air is caused to flow downwardly through said clearance space and return through said conduit means.

A bafiie wall structure for heat treating furnaces and the like comprising a plurality of relatively narrow vertical 'wall sections disposed in side-by-side relation to form a wall expanse; each of said vertical wall sections comprising in combination a vertically elongated and disposed non-refractorymeans secured at its upper end and depending downwardly in a heating chamber, a plurality of refractory blocks having centrally located vertically disposed apertures therein transfixed infsuperimposed relation on said, non-refractory member, said plurality of refractory blocks being generally entirely supported by said non-refractory means, said non-refractory means being generally narrower than the blocks in its respective section and having passages therein adapted to carry a fluid downwardly toward the lower end portion of said non-refractorymember and thence upwardly therefrom.

6. The combination with a heating furnace having side walls and a roof of a pair of spaced substantially parallel beam members supported over said roof, said roof having,

adapted to be inserted through'said space and said opening in side-by-side relation to form a wall expanse extending transversely between said walls below said roof, adjoining wall sections having vertically extending clearances therebetween; each of said vertical wall sections comprising a non-refractory tubularjsupporting member, a plurality of substantially individual refractory blocks having centrally located vertically disposed apertures therein transfixed insuperimposed relation on said tubular member, means secured substantially solely to the lower end portion of said tubular member for supporting the lowermost of said blocks, said last-mentioned means being generally narrower than said blocks, said plurality of blocks extending substantially from said last-mentioned means to said roof, means secured to the upper portion of said tubular member generally transversely thereto adapted to rest upon said beam members to support said wall section, means associated with a source of fluid under pressure for causing fluid to flow along the inner peripheral surface of said tubular member to cool the same, said last mentioned means including a second tubular member of lesser outside diameter than the inside diameter of said first mentioned tubular member, the lower end of said second tubular member being in communication with the annular space between said first and second tubular members and means connecting said source of fluid under pressure with said annular space near the upper portion thereof whereby fiuid'is caused to flow downwardly along the inner peripheral surface of said first tubular member and upwardly through said second tubular member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES T rink: Industrial Furnaces, pub. by I ohn Wiley & Sons, Inc., Chapman & Hall, Ltd. (1951), 4th ed., page .377

' relied on.

Vrooman May 2, 1899 V 

